Spring connecter



y 1935. R. w. COOK SPRING CONNECTER Filed Nov. 26. 1954 WCoo/L W MM Z. W

Patented May 21, 1935- p 2,001,835

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING CONNECTER Raymond W. Cook, Bristol, Conn., assignor to Wallace Barnes Company, Bristol, Conn., a corporation oi Connecticut Application November 2 6, 1934, Serial No; 754,903

8 Claims. (Cl. zs'r-n' V This invention relates to spring devices and, be so connected as to perfectly alignthe outer more particularly, to devices for connecting the surfaces thereof,and further, the means for con-. two ends of a spring coil in order to form an endoting these ends should be such as not to imless belt. pair in anyway the resiliency or flexibility of Ithas heretofore been proposed to connect the the coil, it being pp that a rigid Stiff 5 ends of a spring coil, in order to form an endless, Connecting means in t e e d es be t W l tebelt, by means of a short l th of spring 11 riallyaifect the operation of the same as a powhaving an outside diameter equal to the ,inside er-transmittin meansdiameter of the coil to be formed into an endless Means are provided y the present invention 10 belt but, until the present invention, no'entirelyifor connecting the ends of e Spring Coil in Such 10 satisfactory connecting 11 of th type has bee a manner as toprovide perfect alignment of the provided for thi purpose 1: outersurfaces of the ends of the spring coil, a ,l, The present inve tion, therefore, has for its completely resilient connection therebetween, object the provision of an improved and novel deand a sure and firm connection which will hold of connecting the ends of a spring coil in an im- S h means o p ise the Connecting d v c B di proved manner, closed clearly in Fig. 2 and it will be seen that Another object of the invention is to provide a such device comprises a short length of helically connecting device of the character described comed wire m g, in e a Short Spring 0011;

my prising a plurality of separated portions engag- In accordance with the present invention the ing the inner surface of the convolutions of a connecter comprisesa plurality of portions having s rin 11, outside diameters of such dimensions that these Another object is to provide aconnecting coil portions maybe fitted to the inner surface of of the character described comprising a central the convolutions. of the springcoil A, by such enlarged portion engaging the end portions of means as interthreadingthe convolutions of the 25 the spring coil and a plurality of othennlarged spring coil with those of' the said portions, such portions engaging portions of the spring coil portions being separated by portions having respaced from the ends thereof. p ,duced diameter. As disclosed 'in the annexed A further object is to provide-a connecting coil drawing, the'connecter B is sofo'rmed as to proof the character described which will be so convide, midway of its longitudinal length, a plu- 30 structed as to provide a completely resilient conrality of convolutions of relatively larger diamenection between the ends of a spring coil whereter, these being clearly disclosed at 3 in the drawby improved operation of the spring coil as an. ing and forming a'central, enlarged series of endless belt will be provided. convolutions having such an outer diameter that Other objects and features of novelty will be" these convolutionsinay be fitted to the inner surpp from the f l win d ription and th face of the convolutions of the spring coil A. Ad

. annexed drawing, it being expressly understood jacent each of the outer ends of the series of that the invention is in n way limit y such convolutions 3, the spring connecter B is so description and drawingor otherwise than by the formed as to provide a series of convolutions 4 40 appended claims. each of these series having an outer diameter 40 Referring to the drawing, in which similar refmaterially smaller than that of the convolutions erence numerals refer to like parts, 3. It will be apparent that the smaller series Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section, showing the of convolutions 4 may taper from the diameter of connecter according to the present invention in portion 3 down to any desired diameter or, if operative relation to the ends of a spring coil, desired, the change from the larger to the smaller 45 and diameter may be made abruptly, in which latter Fig. 2 is a view of a connecting device accordcase the smaller convolutions 4 will all have the ing to the present invention. same outer diameter.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to The reduced-diameter portions of the spring Fig. 1 thereof, there are disclosed therein the ends connecter are continued for a short distance to- 50 I, 2 of a spring coil A, such ends being brought ward each endof the spring connecter and the into juxtaposition or abutment, as shown, for outer diameters of the convolutions of the spring the purpose of attaching them together in order connecter are then increased toward each end of to form the spring coil A into an endless belt. the connecting device to provide two enlarged It will be apparent that the ends of coil A must portions 5, 6 having outer diameters equal to that 55 vice in the form of a spring coil for the purpose the ends together under all conditions of use. l5

5 longitudinal length of the connecter for any desired distance, or for any desired number of convolutions. From the outer ends of these enlarged portions the convolutions of the spring connecter are preferably made of progressively decreased outside diameter, as at I, 8, until any desired outside diameter is reached at the endsof the connecter. i

It will thus be apparent that a spring connecter has been provided comprising a spring coil having a central enlarged portion and otherx enlarged portions intermediate the central enlarged portion d the ends of the coil, each of such enlarged portions comprising convolutions of equal outer diameter, such outside diameter being such that these enlarged portions may be fitted to the inner surface of the spring coil which is to be formedv into an endless belt. These three enlarged par-.- tions are, in the preferred form' of the invention, separated by portions of the spring coil having a diameter materially smaller than that of the enlarged portions.

In the operation and use of the described device, if it is desired to connect the ends I, 2 of the spring coil A, the connecting device B may be threaded into one end of the spring coil until onehalf of the connecter is disposed within the spring coil, the convolutions of the spring coil and the connecter acting as threads for tightly and firmly connecting the two members. The other end of the spring coil'A may then be attached to the exposed end of the connecter by interthreading the convolutions of the two elements, all as clearly disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It will be seen that each end of the spring coil A is attached to the connecting device by the intor-threading of the convolutions thereof with the convolutions of one of the outer enlarged portions 5, 6 and with one-half of the convolutions of the central enlarged portion 4, thereby firmly connecting each of the ends of the spring coil to the connecting device. g

It will also be apparent that the reduced diameter portions 4 of the connecting device will provide portions of greater resiliency intermediate the enlarged attaching, portions, whereby increased resiliency of the connecter is obtained. In this manner the rigidity of the connecting means is reduced, providing for better operation of the endless belt as a power-transmitting means. Further, the tapered and reduced ends of the connecting device permit the circular configuration of. the endless belt to be attained without interference from the connecter. Due to the combination of a plurality of enlarged, attaching por tions with a plurality of reduced-diameter portions and the tapered end portions, the advantages of connecting devices of this general type are means comprising a connecting device having 9.,

plurality of spaced portions engaging the convolutions 01' said spring coil, and a plurality of spaced portions spaced from the inner surface of said spring coil and of greater flexibility than said first-named spaced portions.

2. In combination, a spring coil, and means for connecting the ends of said spring coil, said means comprising a. connecting device having a. plurality of spaced portions each of which engages a. plurality of convolutions of said spring coil, and a plurality of spaced portions connecting said engaging portions and being of smaller diameter than said engaging portions.

3. In combination, a spring coil, and means for connecting the ends of said spring coil, said means comprising a connecting device having a plurality of spaced portions the outer surfaces of which are engaged with the inner surfaces of the convolutions of said spring coil, each of said spaced portions being of such a length that it will engage a plurality, of convolutions of the spring coil, and other portions connecting said firstnamed portions and having a smaller diameter than said first-namedportions.

4. A connecter for the ends of a spring coil, comprising a spring coil having a plurality of spaced portions of such diameter that they may be fitted to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the spring coil, and a plurality of portions connecting said spaced portions and having smaller diameters and greater flexibility than said spaced portions.

5. A connecter for the ends of a spring coil, comprising a spring coil having a plurality of spaced portions of such diameter that they may be fitted to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the ends of the spring coil, and connecting portions between said spaced portions having smaller diameters than said spaced portions and each comprising a plurality of convolutions.

6. A connecting device for the ends of a spring .coil, comprising a spring coil having a plurality of spaced portions each comprising a plurality of convolutions and being of such diameter that they may be interfitted with the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the ends of the spring coil, and connecting portions between said spaced portions and having smaller diameters than said spaced portions and each comprising a plurality of convolutions.

7. A connecter for the ends of a spring coil, comprising a helically wound coil having a central portion having such an outside diameter that said central portion may be fitted to the inner surface of said spring coil, a reduced diameter portion of greater, flexibility than said central portion adjacent each end of said central portion, other portions disposed adjacent said reduced portions and having outside diameters equal to the outside diameter of said central portion, and tapered end portions adjacent each of said other enlarged portions.

8. A connecter for the ends of a spring coil, comprising an elongated member having a central portion of such diameter that it may be engaged with the inner surfaces of the ends of the spring coil and of such length that it will engage a plurality of convolutions of each end of the spring coil, a reduced diameter portion adjacent each end of said central portion, other portions disposed adjacent the ends of said reduced portions and having outside diameters equal to that of said central portion, and tapered end portions adjacent each of said other portions.

RAYMOND W. COOK. 

